ABOUT ME:
Alex Armstrong was born and raised in Ottawa, Canada. After realizing she had been a ski bum in the wrong province for 20 years, she uprooted her life and moved to Western Canada. Alex has now put down roots in Banff, Alberta for the past 8 years. Originally from a ski racing background, she is now pursuing a professional skiing career. The past year she has been living in her camper with a sled in tow and filming. Alex translates her passion for skiing into skiing as much as humanly possible and making the most of whatever conditions are out there.
Based out of Banff, she continually pursues adventure in her backyard and hones her skills to play safe in the mountains. She is currently sponsored by The North Face, Blizzard/Tecnica, Smith Optics, Banff Soul
and Ski Big 3.

What MOMENT do you ski for?

I ski for the moment of flow. Somewhere between utter focus and pure feeling there’s this sensation of total calm. It washes over me and in that moment the only thing that matters is that moment. Whether it’s the steps up a skin track or the feeling of weightlessness while skiing blower powder, I find my flow with my skis on.

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How do you recharge your batteries for the next challenge?

I have a hard time taking time off. Two winters ago I was skiing almost everyday but just kept getting sick and burning myself out. Eventually, I started writing so I felt like my time off was productive. I’ve kept up with that and started writing for some publications. Writing also gives me time to reflect on and absorb the adventure I’ve just had instead of moving quickly on to the next. I also really enjoy hanging out with my two cats and a glass of wine!

What’s your favorite quote? Why does this quote resonate with you?

“You won’t find reasonable men on the tops of tall mountains.” - Hunter S. Thompson.
I take this quote literally and figuratively. I like being on the tops of tall mountains and I like being different.

How do you conquer difficult situations?

“Green grass, blue water.” I literally just say this a few times and then get to business. Whatever that business may be.

What sacrifices have you had to make to get to where you are today and were they worth it?

I’ve sacrificed stability, careers, relationships, months to injuries and many pairs of skis to Ullr. But I know it’s worth it because those things sacrificed aren’t things I think of daily. I mainly am just thinking about skiing (and cats, maybe wine).

How does your mindset (or attitude) influence your performance?

Overall, I have a pretty positive mindset. I think that’s got ten me through a lot of difficult or trying situations in the past. It’s helped me make most of what I have and appreciate when things come easy. I also feel very in tune with myself. When I have a gut feeling about something, I usually try to listen to it. Most of the times I’ve got ten into trouble in the mountains or injured myself, it’s because I pushed through and ignored my intuition.

What strategy do you use to overcome pressure and stress for optimum performance?

I'm a planner so I plan. I painstakingly look at the line, I pack my bag the night before, I scour photos on the internet, I stretch. I try to eliminate any variables that are within my control. This allows me to focus on the task at hand. When stress and pressure start to take hold, I can then come back to a feeling of preparation and independence and that instills confidence in myself.